Honorable Inger Anderson, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme
In the beginning, we would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for all of your endeavors to improve the living conditions of human societies.
Dear Madam Director,
Hereby, we would like to inform you about the occurrence of an extremely horrible ecological and human disaster in our region. As the second largest saline lake in the world in a large area of Azerbaijan located in the north-west of Iran, Lake Urmia is drying up and disappearing and becoming the main source of all kinds of chronic and deadly diseases for the region. The region that has been the center of human life and civilization for thousands of years, is now being annihilated and losing most of its special environmental capabilities. According to scientific accounts, some 12-14 million Azerbaijani citizens would have to leave that region forever in order to avoid death.
As this lake dries up and turns it into a desert and salt marsh, other traces of living creatures around it are disappearing as well. The lake, which has been the source of life for all kinds of animal and plant species since the distant millennia and is the ancient heritage of humanity, is now dying in front of the eyes of the world and being wiped off the world map. This is an unforgivable crime against all humanity. Yet, all these events are happening while the Iranian government is not taking any effective action. However, despite the indifference of the Iranian government, there have been some measures taken by some countries that are concerned about Azerbaijan’s ecosystem and environmental issues and sufferings. For example, the Japanese government has, in the past, dispatched faculty and the subsequent financial assistance. The Iranian government’s disregard for many international rules and conventions regarding the environment cannot be viewed as a justification for the violation of human rights. As if Azerbaijan and the lives of millions of Azerbaijani people have no value and importance for the Iranian government.
Dear Madam Director,
For consecutive years, no positive action has been taken by the Iranian government regarding the preservation of Azerbaijan’s ecosystem and environment, even to a small extent. In fact, the Islamic Republic of Iran has closed its eyes to the occurrence of salt storms that have already started and are going to endanger the lives of millions of people. And this is despite the fact that for years the peaceful and civil protests of the people of Azerbaijan, in order to stop these indifferences, have not only not received a positive response, but are being suppressed with an iron fist. There is no doubt that the consequences of drying up and disappearance of Lake Urmia would not only turn Azerbaijan into a desert but would also lead to the destruction of the ecosystem of the Middle East and South Caucasus.
The economy of the region will lose worth thousands of billions of US dollars, forcing millions of people to migrate. The main victims of this disaster will be ordinary citizens, especially children. Without a doubt, the Azerbaijanis will be on top of the suffering people and victims of this terrible human tragedy and ecological disaster. According to most political, social and ecological accounts, Iran’s current approach vis-à-vis Azerbaijan is a result of thediscriminative and systematic Persian-centric policy of the Iranian government against non-Persian nationalities in Iran.
Dear Madam Director!
Considering your human-oriented concerns, and in order to improve human life, we urge you to help us stop this human tragedy and join us in ending this looming ecological disaster.
Respectfully yours,
Civil Rights Activists of the National Movement of Azerbaijan
کمپین نجات دریاچه اورمیه
نامه ایی از طرف فعالان ملی آذربایحان برای نجات دریاچه اورمیه برای سازمان ملل
هشتک اورمو گولو
نامه را میتوانید به آدرس های زیر ایمل کنید
west Asia regional office for west [email protected]
